The hallway was still thick with the lingering smell of battle, and the ashes of Gecko Corpse Brother drifted on the wind.
Right at that moment, the sound of strange footsteps echoed, and a bizarrely shaped Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother appeared beside the leftover tail of Gecko Corpse Brother.
The Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother’s eyes lit up, suspicious drool dripped from the corner of his mouth, and he eagerly prepared to dig into this unexpected "delicacy."
However, he had no idea that Lin Xia, who had been cloaked in invisibility and concealment for a long time, was already watching him.
After the fierce battle with Gecko Corpse Brother just moments before, Lin Xia had wanted to take a short break, but her sharp senses had immediately picked up on the approach of the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother.
Lin Xia muttered inwardly to herself, "Better not hog all of Little Vajra's resources. Should I help Little Vajra get a bit stronger?"
She had left the severed tail behind, refined the rest of the body, and alongside gaining enhanced healing abilities, she had also harvested an energy mass roughly equivalent to the Human Stage Mid-Stage.
Then she activated her invisibility, but remembering that the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother had consumed Teacher Mu's Third Eye, she guessed he possessed thermal vision. Immediately, she activated her concealment as well.
Lin "The Sly Veteran" Xia's status: Buffs Invisibility + Concealment + Ambush Ready.
Completely lost in the excitement of the impending feast, the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother had no inkling that danger was closing in.
He reached out both hands, intending to grab Gecko Corpse Brother's tail and shove it into his mouth.
Just as his hand was about to touch the tail, Lin Xia suddenly materialized and grabbed the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother by the wrist.
The Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother was startled by the sudden attack.
He widened his eyes, staring at Lin Xia in utter bewilderment. A flash of fear and panic crossed his eyes, and he let out an angry roar.
Showing no trace of fear, Lin Xia looked down coldly at the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother and said, "You monster, trying to sneak a snack again."
The Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother struggled violently, trying to break free from Lin Xia's grip.
His strength was immense, and Lin Xia could feel her hand being pulled by a powerful force.
Yet Lin Xia was at the Earth Stage Late Stage, so breaking away wasn't so easy. She sensed that Little Vajra the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother had already developed a sliver of sentience.
She quickly deployed her superpower, growing sharp Bone Spikes from her hand and pressing them against the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's neck.
"Don't move, or I'll kill you right now." Lin Xia's voice was icy and resolute.
Feeling the threat of the Bone Spikes, the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother temporarily stopped struggling, though his gaze remained filled with anger and reluctance.
Looking at the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother, Lin Xia recalled the pranks she had pulled on him earlier and mentally calculated how to deal with him.
She suddenly remembered that Little Vajra would eventually reach the God Stage and go on to help humanity.
Since the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother before her was currently in his developmental stage, perhaps she could guide him.
Lin Xia decided to discipline the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother once more.
She forcefully pressed the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother to the ground and used crystallization to freeze him in place, unable to move.
Then, she picked up Gecko Corpse Brother's tail and held it right in front of the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's mouth.
"Eat it," Lin Xia commanded.
The Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother froze for a second, drooling at the mouth, but then he shook his head frantically, making muffled whimpering sounds to signal his refusal.
But Lin Xia was not about to give up easily. She pressed a Bone Spike against the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's chin, forcing him to open his mouth.
Then, she shoved Gecko Corpse Brother's tail right into his mouth.
The Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother was forced to swallow Gecko Corpse Brother's tail, and a look of agonizing pain twisted his face.
Watching him, Lin Xia felt a bit of inner anxiety, unsure whether this decision was the right one.
After a moment, the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother began to exhibit bizarre reactions.
His body shook continuously, and his complexion turned beet red.
Tensely watching him, Lin Xia prepared to react to any danger that might arise.
Suddenly, the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother let out a painful roar, and his body began to swell as if it were about to explode.
Lin Xia quickly stepped back, watching him with high alert.
To her astonishment, the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's body continued to grow larger, and the muscles on his frame grew much thicker.
His eyes turned crimson, and his Third Eye flew open instantly, radiating a terrifying glow.
During the evolutionary process, perhaps due to having consumed avian Corpse Brothers earlier, this shift in his genetic sequence caused a pair of massive crimson wings to gradually sprout from the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's back.
The wings were covered in sharp Bone Spikes, giving him a ferocious appearance.
His skin hardened significantly, resembling a thick layer of heavy armor.
Sharp claws grew from his hands, as though they could easily tear anything apart.
A gecko-like tail sprouted from his lower back, making it clear that he had also acquired the ability to regenerate a severed tail.
Lin Xia felt a jolt of alarm; she hadn't anticipated that feeding Gecko's tail to the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother would trigger such a consequence.
Swiftly marshaling her superpower, she braced herself to counter the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's onslaught.
The Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother flailed his arms wildly, shattering the surrounding walls and floor into dust.
His power had become monstrously immense, like an out-of-control beast.
Lin Xia continuously dodged his attacks while searching for an opening to strike back.
Amidst the fierce combat, Lin Xia gradually realized that although the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's attacks were powerful, they lacked any real strategy or technique—he was merely venting on pure instinct.
She decided to exploit this weakness and give him a severe beating.
While dodging the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's assaults, Lin Xia observed his movements.
She noticed that whenever the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother exerted too much force, his body suffered a brief moment of stiffness.
Lin Xia resolved to seize this opening and deal him a decisive blow.
As the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother threw another forceful punch, Lin Xia instantly teleported behind him, driving the Bone Spike in her hand deep into his back.
The Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother let out a miserable scream and pitched forward onto the ground.
Yet he did not fall for good; he struggled, trying to pull himself back up.
Knowing she couldn't give him a chance, Lin Xia unleashed her superpower once more. Countless Vines shot from her hands, tightly binding the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother.
The Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother struggled desperately, but the Vines only wrapped around him tighter and tighter.
"You monster, stop struggling," Lin Xia said coldly.
Unreconciled, the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother glared with eyes full of fury and despair.
Looking at the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother, Lin Xia felt a mixed wave of reluctance and amusement.
She channeled her healing power, infusing a warm energy straight into the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's body.
Feeling this warmth, the tremors in the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's body gradually subsided.
His gaze softened, losing its fierce anger and madness.
Continuing to channel her healing ability, Lin Xia tried to help the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother recover his sanity.
After a while of effort, the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother finally quieted down.
He looked at Lin Xia, a faint trace of gratitude shimmering in his eyes?
Gazing down at the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother, Lin Xia began to "educate" him.
"You're quite smart. You need to know that only by following Bai Xiaofei and the others will you get meat to eat.
Besides, you've gained sentience and aren't easily controlled anymore. From now on, you can't commit evil acts at will—you must learn to help humanity."
The Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother looked at Lin Xia with understanding and nodded fearfully.
By this time, the Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother's strength had also climbed to the Earth Stage Early Stage, and his intelligence had clearly grown quite a bit.
"Alright, I'm heading out, Little Vajra. Just stick with Bai Xiaofei and grow stronger."
Giving the dazed Calabash Brothers Corpse Brother one final tap on the head, she strode away nonchalantly while casually releasing the Vines that bound him.